LAPD releases video of suspect in Wilshire Division ambush

The Los Angeles Police Department released a video Wednesday that it says shows the suspect believed to be responsible for ambushing two detectives outside the Wilshire Division.

The officers suffered minor injuries, but the early morning shooting Tuesday set off a massive search that kept a segment of Mid-City on lockdown for hours.

At a news conference Wednesday, Police Chief Charlie Beck revealed the photo of a black male, thought to be 30 to 35 years old, who appeared to be walking with an object in his hand. Beck asked the public to help identify the man whom he called a danger to public.

The video footage shows the alleged suspect moments after the confrontation. He is on the opposite side of Venice Boulevard from the station and walking at a deliberate pace. Beck said the suspect can be seen on video footage that was not released hurrying across the wide boulevard away from the station.

Two burglary detectives — 11- and 20-year veterans, respectively — identified the man as the suspect responsible for the attack as they waited for the parking lot gate at the LAPD Wilshire Division to open. Both detectives suffered minor injuries and managed to return fire, but it was unclear whether they wounded the attacker.

In a separate incident in unincorporated Willowbrook on Tuesday evening, Beck said, another LAPD officer shot during a probation search remains hospitalized. The officer underwent surgery and is stable condition but faces a long road to recovery.

"He was struck in the jaw area," Beck said.

A probation officer also suffered a leg wound during the confrontation.

Beck said that officers returned fire after they were fired upon. The suspect, whose name was not released, was found dead Wednesday morning after a SWAT team entered the attic and found the suspect's body. He died of unspecified injuries, Beck said.

It was not clear whether the injuries were the result of police gunfire.

Los Angeles County Probation Chief Jerry Powers said his officer received a graze wound to the leg and a second probation officer immediately returned fire.

"This incident highlights the danger of what probation and police officers face in our community every day," he said. "I am grateful we didn’t lose any officers last night. It was very easily a disaster averted."

The man in the attic was discovered after a probation search at the property. Officers noticed the smell of marijuana coming from a front house and eventually sought entry. They were trying to enter the attic when the gunman opened fire.